After the briefest of respites, Lucy Dacus’ seemingly endless global touring continues next month in Savannah, GA. In addition, 6 southern U.S. dates with support from Mothers were just announced, with tickets on sale this Friday at 10am local time (links below).
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is Pavement’s record-of-many transitions. From Louder Than You to Random Falls. From Gary Young to Steve West. From indier-than-thou (Matador) to FAKE INDIE (Matador/Atlantic). But most importantly, it’s the album where Pavement would flex the sort of musical and lyrical range that would later make some of you deeply resent everything else the band members ever did solidify their status as a once-in-a-generation phenomena. Except we’re still here talking about it.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain’s 1994 release, and I believe it was George Santayana who said “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Good thing we’ve got a goddamn photographic memory, because there’s some stuff we went thru trying to get radio stations to play “Cut Your Hair” that NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE FORCED TO RELIVE. So let’s focus on the good times and not get bogged down in gloomy stuff like the journalist last week who asked me (seriously) if Billy Corgan or Scott Weiland still bore a grudge over “Range Life”. I’m sure you think my job is super fucking easy but there’s no simple way of answering a question like that without getting the person on the other end of the phone very very angry, so if you’re ever in that situation, I suggest you handle it exactly the way I did (pretend you’re been stung by a wasp).
All orders received today through Thursday, February 21st from the U.S. Matador Webstore that include Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain will receive a free MATADOR REVISIONIST HISTORY slip mat and a reproduction of Pavement’s 1994 press photo (credit: Gail Butensky). Random orders will receive a press photo signed by Stephen Malkmus. UPDATE: press photos are now OUT OF STOCK, orders will still receive the slip mat.
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS — Episode 798 — Pictured: Musical guest Kurt Vile performs on February 12, 2019 — (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC)
With their massive global tour in support of ‘Bottle It In’ continuing this week in Burlington VT, Kurt Vile & The Violators reconvened in New York City last night for an appearance on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers”, performing “Yeah Bones”. Still photography courtesy NBC’s Lloyd Bishop.
Steve Gunn’s performance at KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic has just been archived on the stations website, including performances of two tracks, “Stonehurst Cowboy” and “New Familiar,” from Gunn’s newly released The Unseen In Between.
Steve Gunn continues to tour in support of the new album this week, performing in Seattle, Novato CA and San Francisco before kicking off European dates next month.
Wednesday, February 13 Tractor Tavern, Seattle WA $ Friday, February 15 Hopmonk Tavern, Novato CA # Saturday, February 16 The Chapel, San Francisco CA # Tuesday, March 12 Bitterzoet, Amsterdam NL Wednesday, March 13 Paard, Den Haag NL Thursday, March 14 Vera, Groningen NL Friday, March 15 Nochtspeicher, Hamberg DE Saturday, March 16 Radar, Aarhus DK Monday, March 18 Folken, Stavanger NO Wednesday, March 20 Revolver, Oslo NO Thursday, March 21 Pustervik, Gothenburg SE Friday, March 22 Loppen, Copenhagen DK Saturday, March 23 Frannz Club, Berlin DE Sunday, March 24 Archa Theatre, Prague CZ Monday, March 25 UT Connewitz, Leipzig DE Tuesday, March 26 Manufaktur, Schorndorf DE Wednesday, March 27 Arena, Vienna AT Friday, March 29 Raindogs, Savona IT Saturday, March 30 Südpol, Luzern CH Sunday, March 31 Rotefabrik, Zurich CH Monday, April 1 Sonic, Lyon FR Tuesday, April 2 Le Petit Bain, Paris FR Wednesday, April 3 De Kreun, Kortrijk BE Friday, April 5 Oslo, London UK Saturday, April 6 Hare & Hounds, Birmingham UK Sunday, April 7 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds UK Monday, April 8 Deaf Institute, Manchester UK Thursday, April 18 Cactus Club, Milwaukee WI* Friday, April 19 Lincoln Hall, Chicago IL * Saturday, April 20 Storehouse, Galien MI Sunday, April 21 Off Broadway, St Louis MO* Monday, April 22 89th Street, Oklahoma City OK* Tuesday, April 23 Double Wide, Dallas TX * Wednesday, April 24 Barracuda, Austin TX* Friday, April 26 Saturn, Birmingham AL* Saturday, April 27 40 Watt, Athens GA* Sunday, April 28 The Earl, Atlanta GA* Monday, April 29 The Basement, Nashville TN* Tuesday, April 30 The Mothlight, Asheville NC* Wednesday, May 1 Cat’s Cradle, Carborro, NC* Thursday, May 2 Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte,NC* Friday, May 3 Richmond Music Hall, Richmond,VA* Saturday, May 4 Songbyrd, Washington DC*
^ w/ Meg Baird & Mary Lattimore $ w/ Meg Baird # w/ Sachiko Kanenobu * w/ Gun Outfit
In addition to August’s hotly anticipated Boaty Weekender cruise with guests Yo La Tengo, Mogwai, Japanese Breakfest and many others, Belle and Sebastian have confirmed 8 summer appearances in the US and Canada. Tickets go on general sale this Friday at 10am local time.
Spoon spent nearly two years touring in support of ‘Hot Thoughts’ so what better way to commemorate the summer of 2019 than by visiting the continent’s finest ampitheatres and multi-purpose entertainment venues on a package tour alongside such show business titans as Beck and Cage The Elephant? If an answer to this question pops into your head, please don’t bother sharing it as the shows are already booked and tickets go on sale rather soon (Friday at 10am local time, in fact).
Though Car Seat Headrest’s current North American run recommences this Thursday in Boston, MA, the band have confirmed 9 additional summer show. Pre-sale begins Tuesday at 10am local time.. You can sign up for the presale (password TODAY ONLY) at https://carseatheadrest.com/tourdates. You’ll receive a text and email 10 minutes before tickets go on sale. General onsale begins Friday at 10am local time.
Early today, NPR released Kurt Vile’s new Tiny Desk Concert, containing performances of two Bottle It In tracks “Bassackwards” and “Loading Zones,” as well as “Peeping Tomboy,” from Smoke Ring for My Halo and covered by Courtney Barnett on their 2017 collaborative album Lotta Sea Lice.
Kurt Vile’s 2019 dates kick off on Monday, February 11 in Harrisburg PA before performing on Late Night with Seth Meyers on February 12th.
The morning after Friday’s sold-out Bowery Ballroom, Steve Gunn appeared on the Saturday, February 2 edition of “CBS This Morning” performing “Vagabond”, “New Familiar” and “New Moon” from one of 2019’s most critically acclaimed albums, ‘The Unseen In Between’
Thursday, February 7 The Hangout, Long Beach, CA (Steve solo)
Friday, February 8 The Casbah, San Diego CA ^
Saturday, February 9 Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles CA ^
Sunday, February 10 Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz CA $
Tuesday, February 12 Aladdin Theater, Portland OR $
Wednesday, February 13 Tractor Tavern, Seattle WA $
Friday, February 15 Hopmonk Tavern, Novato CA #
Saturday, February 16 The Chapel, San Francisco CA #
Tuesday, March 12 Bitterzoet, Amsterdam NL
Wednesday, March 13 Paard, Den Haag NL
Thursday, March 14 Vera, Groningen NL
Friday, March 15 Nochtspeicher, Hamberg DE
Saturday, March 16 Radar, Aarhus DK
Monday, March 18 Folken, Stavanger NO
Wednesday, March 20 Revolver, Oslo NO
Thursday, March 21 Pustervik, Gothenburg SE
Friday, March 22 Loppen, Copenhagen DK
Saturday, March 23 Frannz Club, Berlin DE
Sunday, March 24 Archa Theatre, Prague CZ
Monday, March 25 UT Connewitz, Leipzig DE
Tuesday, March 26 Manufaktur, Schorndorf DE
Wednesday, March 27 Arena, Vienna AT
Saturday, March 30 Südpol, Luzern CH
Sunday, March 31 Rotefabrik, Zurich CH
Monday, April 1 Sonic, Lyon FR
Tuesday, April 2 Le Petit Bain, Paris FR
Wednesday, April 3 De Kreun, Kortrijk BE
Friday, April 5 Oslo, London UK
Saturday, April 6 Hare & Hounds, Birmingham UK
Sunday, April 7 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds UK
Monday, April 8 Deaf Institute, Manchester UK
Thursday, April 18 Cactus Club, Milwaukee WI*
Friday, April 19 Lincoln Hall, Chicago IL *
Saturday, April 20 Storehouse, Galien MI
Sunday, April 21 Off Broadway, St Louis MO*
Monday, April 22 89th Street, Oklahoma City OK*
Tuesday, April 23 Double Wide, Dallas TX *
Wednesday, April 24 Barracuda, Austin TX*
Friday, April 26 Saturn, Birmingham AL*
Saturday, April 27 40 Watt, Athens GA*
Sunday, April 28 The Earl, Atlanta GA*
Monday, April 29 The Basement, Nashville TN*
Tuesday, April 30 The Mothlight, Asheville NC*
Wednesday, May 1 Cat’s Cradle, Carborro, NC*
Thursday, May 2 Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte,NC*
Friday, May 3 Richmond Music Hall, Richmond,VA*
Saturday, May 4 Songbyrd, Washington DC*
^ w/ Meg Baird & Mary Lattimore
$ w/ Meg Baird
# w/ Sachiko Kanenobu
* w/ Gun Outfit
After completing sold-out dates on the West Coast last month, Snail Mail has announced today additional Spring and Summer touring plans in support of her debut LP, Lush. New European dates are on sale today, new American dates are on sale this Friday at 10am local time. Snail Mail performs for their first time at Madison Square Garden next weekend, February 16th, with Interpol and Car Seat Headrest.
2018 was a milestone year for Richmond, VA’s Lucy Dacus. Her widely celebrated sophomore record, ‘Historian’, was met by a chorus of critical acclaim, with NPR, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NBC News, Slate, The Atlantic, Billboard, Paste, Stereogum, and others calling one of the best albums of the year. Her collaborative EP as 1/3 of boygenius (with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers) landed on many of those same lists, plus Newsweek, The New Yorker, Esquire, and the New York Times. She played revelatory sold-out shows at clubs and festivals alike, and made network TV appearances on “CBS This Morning”, “Late Night with Seth Meyers”, and “Last Call With Carson Daly”.
A cursory glance at her worldwide touring schedule in 2019 (below) shows little sign that Dacus is slowing down, and in fact, she will release a EP titled ‘2019’ to celebrate. Recorded in here-and-there studio spurts over the last two years, ‘2019 ‘will be released later this year, and will be made up of originals and cover songs tied to specific holidays, each of which will drop around their respective date: Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day (and Taurus season!), Independence Day, Springsteen’s Birthday (not an official holiday, though we’re told Chris Christie often took that day off), Halloween, Christmas, and New Year’s.
Dacus uses her gift as a songwriter to help understand and cope with the world around her, including making sense of national holidays, often more geared towards social media boasts and manufactured consumerism than authentic celebration. “What is going on,” she asks herself on these days, retreating from the heightened expectations of holidays to figure out what to make of them and to find her own meaning. “I’ve collected some songs from trying to answer that question,” she says, and “this EP seems like the right place to put them next to each other. These songs are self-contained, not indicative of a new direction, just a willingness to do something different and sometimes even out of character.”
“Fine Mess” continues the invigorated creative spirit of 2018’s triumphant ‘Marauder’, presenting Interpol at their most urgent and essential – with Paul Banks’ feverish vocals and haunted lyrics telling of “a sanguine and starry pair, buoyed and dashed alike by their own dreams and appetites” interlocking with Daniel Kessler’s serpentine riffs and Sam Fogarino’s thundering rhythm section, distilled around the seditious refrain: “you and me / make a fine mess.”
Ahead of a busy worldwide tour and festival season with Primavera, NOS Primavera, and Best Kept Secret already announced, “Fine Mess” is further testament to a band at their peak, and the first chapter in what promises to be yet another eventful year for Interpol.
Kurt Vile premiered a new song earlier today, “Timing Is Everything (And I’m Falling Behind)” and it’s exclusively available from Amazon Music. If you’re lucky enough to share your living space with an Alexa-enabled device, simply utter the phrase, “Alexa, play the new Kurt Vile song,” and VOILA, your life with be enriched thru the miracle of A-L-E-X-A. Kurt calls the song, “a candid snapshot of KV & the Violators ‘at home’; where we like it: sparse and jangly and as live as possible. Ok, fine, with some additional accoutrements (including a sick b bender overdub by Rob!). Jesse swells and chimes beautiful guitar as well. KV fingerpicks and sings. The lyrics are country blues. “Open the flood gates of a down pouring rain… in my brain.” Masterfully recorded in Athens, GA by our drummer Kyle somewhere inside a cluster of hazy band rehearsals on the roundabout way to a festival in Denver. Mixed by Peter Katis. This jam was one of many contenders for the last album, but we gonna start peeling em off for ya now instead.”
For once, the rumors are true (some of ’em, anyway). The “rejected” electronic album that Stephen Malkmus has been alluding to over the past year will see the light of day on March 15th. That said, ‘Groove Denied’ is not a plunge into EDM or glitch-city. In fact, there aren’t any purely instrumental tracks on the album. Every song is precisely that: a song, featuring Malkmus staples like an artfully askew melody and an oblique lyric. ‘Groove Denied’ is Stephen playing hooky from his customary way of going about things, jolting himself out of a comfy routine. As Malkmus commented recently in a recent video interview, “It’s kind of funny to mess with stuff you’re not supposed to mess with.”
The first taste of Stephen’s new groove can be sampled today, with the release of single “Viktor Borgia,” and its accompanying video. The title playfully merges the name of the comedian-pianist and the ruthless dynasty of Italo-Spanish nobles. . “Yes, I was thinking things like Pete Shelley’s ‘Homosapien’, the Human League, and DIY synth music circa 1982,” says Stephen, adding “and also about how in the New Wave Eighties, these suburban 18-and-over dance clubs were where all the freaks would meet – a sanctuary.”
Stephen will embark on a brief solo tour, sans Jicks, in May. The newly announced run of dates can be found below. A full bio, composed by Simon Reynolds can be found as well.
When Stephen Malkmus first arrived on the scene in the early Nineties, as frontman and prime creative force in Pavement, the area of music with which he was associated couldn’t really have been further from the techno-rave sounds of the day. Electronic dance music, then as now, was about posthuman precision, inorganic textures, and hyper-digital clarity. Whereas the lo-fi movement in underground rock championed a messthetic of sloppiness, rough edges, and raw warmth – a hundred exquisitely subtle shades of distortion and abrasion. “Imperfect sound forever” was the rallying cry for a micro-generation of slacker-minded dreamers and misfits.
Fast forward to the present and here comes Malkmus with a surprising new project that embraces the very digital tools and procedures he’d have once gone out of his way to avoid. Groove Denied – Stephen’s first solo album without his cohorts the Jicks since 2001 – was made using Ableton’s Live, a software sequencer and “digital audio workstation” that is the preferred tool of discerning techno producers and deejays worldwide. Instead of a human-powered rhythm section of electric bass and drums, Malkmus’s arsenal further includes drum machines, along with a host of plug-in FX and “soft synths” (digital simulations of vintage electronic hardware that inhabit your computer rather than take over your entire living room).
For the first time on record, what you hear here is just Stephen and the Machine(s).
But Groove Denied is not a full-blown plunge into EDM or hiptronica, into the soundworlds of Deadmaus, Villalobos and Skee Mask. In fact, there aren’t any purely instrumental tracks on the album. Every song is precisely that: a song, featuring Malkmus staples like an artfully askew melody and an oblique lyric. But Groove Denied is Stephen playing hooky from his customary way of going about things, jolting himself out of a comfy routine. As Malkmus commented recently in a video interview, “It’s fun to mess with things that you’re not supposed to.”
This departure from the tried-and-tested stems back to earlier in this decade, when Malkmus spent a couple of years living in Berlin and was exposed to the city’s vibrant club scene Back in the Nineties, Stephen had given rave culture a wide berth, in part because of bad personal associations with the drug MDMA (he’d had “a really really bad trip” on Ecstasy in 1987, bizarrely on a visit to New York to see Miles Davis perform). But in Berlin, thanks to a younger deejay friend, Malkmus made forays into the city’s world-famous all-night party scene and became fascinated by techno. “The music can be great… you can zone out, dance, and focus on music – or just get wasted!”
It would not be entirely off-base, or an overly cute rock-historical reference, to describe Groove Denied as Stephen Malkmus’s Low. Although largely recorded in Oregon, the bulk of the album was written while he was living in Berlin. Updating his home studio with Ableton and teaching himself rudimentary Pro Tools, Malkmus “started fucking with effects and loops”. He compares the process of track-construction to the way his kids “used to make these girls on my iPhone – choosing hair colour, dresses, etc. That intuitive swipe and grab thing. Chop and move the waves. Apple computer scroll style of thinking.” It’s a very different way of making music to the feel-oriented way of coming up with chord progressions and rhythm grooves on a guitar alone or jamming with a band. And in fact, electric guitar – while it does feature on Groove Denied – is really “just color for the most part”.
Yet while the methodology behind Groove Denied is absolutely 21st Century, the reference points for the sound-palette hark back to the pre-digital era. “The electronic music side of the album, I wanted it to be sonically pre-Internet,” explains Stephen. “So the EQ-ing is a bit 1970’s, that sloppy DIY sequencing. And the influences are kinda 1981 post punk – actually quite British.” “A Bit Wilder”, one of the stand-out cuts, specifically recalls Cabaret Voltaire, its slack-stringed dank-with-reverb bass a dead ringer for the Stephen Mallinder sound. “Yes, I was thinking the Cabs – and Section 25, whose 1981 album Always Now I think is a serious underdog stoner album. That grey industrial Martin Hannett sound. But also all these cute DIY group that imitated The Cure back then – loners with 4-tracks tape recorders and dreams of “Killing An Arab”.” Malkmus says he was trying to conjure or reinhabit the “fan perspective” on things like Joy Division and the Cure – the sort of “getting it a bit wrong” that unintentionally brings something new into the world.
Groove Denied is frontloaded with this Cold Wave redux sound – a style we’ve never heard from Stephen Malkmus before. Opener “Belziger Faceplant”, for instance, features a most peculiar processed vocal that sounds withered and grotesque, like a deflated wrinkly balloon still lingering on in your house weeks after a party. “I envisioned ‘Belziger Faceplant’ as made by someone off their head after a night out in Friedrichshain,” says Malkmus, referring to a district of the former East Berlin now rife with techno clubs like the legendary Berghain. “Coming back at 5 AM, firing up the laptop in the morning light and trying to make a song, but the instruments are tripping over each other. You can’t even speak because of all the Ketamine or whatever!” Malkmus adds that he’s never tried K but “for some reason I imagine it like that”.
Then there’s “Viktor Borgia,” a title that playfully merges the name of the comedian-pianist and the ruthless dynasty of Italo-Spanish nobles. With its stately melody and the almost-English-accented vocal, the coordinates here are early Human League or even Men Without Hats. “Yes, I was thinking things like Pete Shelley’s ‘Homosapien’, the Human League, and DIY synth music circa 1982. And also about how in the New Wave Eighties, these suburban 18-and-over dance clubs were where all the freaks would meet – a sanctuary.”
“Forget Your Place” features another eerily wobbled vocal a la “Belziger Faceplant” plus dub-style detonations of submarine sonar and nagging bleeps. Frankly, it sounds pretty darn wasted. “Like ‘Belgizer’, this is a pretty solid Ableton-based track – moving waves around, finding a trippy loop and throwing an echo on it,” explains Stephen, adding that “at times it feels almost childish, working with Ableton – like finger painting. But ‘Forget Your Place’ also makes me think about death – don’t ask me why!”
Alongside the early Eighties “minimal synth” and industrial influences, the other main palette of tone-colors audible on Groove Denied is closer both to Stephen’s comfort zone and to what his fans would expect from him: “warped psych,” as he terms it, that avant-garage tradition of dirty guitars and ramshackle grooves, except that in this case, it’s “one person pretending to be a band.” That illusion is pulled off magnificently on loose ‘n’ swinging tunes like “Come Get Me” and “Love the Door,” although the electronic element manifests still with the crisp and prim pitter of drum machine beats and a spume of Moog frothing all over “Door”. Then there’s “Rushing the Acid Frat”, whose title came from Stephen’s memories of a student fraternity at the University of Virginia that, unlike the typical beery bro frathouse, had a “Grateful Dead druggy tie-dye” vibe. Malkmus imagined “Rushing” as a “Louie Louie”-style shindig rumpus to soundtrack a “Star Wars bar scene in such a frat… It’s kinda 12-bar, but gigged with psych lyrics”.
As the album enters the homestretch, it returns to more familiar Malkmusian terrain, with a warmer, grittier sound. “I did frontload Groove Denied with the stuff that signals “80’s/cold,” he says. “That stuff excited me the most – and it sounded braver. If I had another year, it could have been all in that style.” Still, with the second half offering gorgeous tunes like the hazy-lazy ramble “Bossviscerate” and the glittering “Ocean of Revenge” – both graced with his signature style of odd-angled melodic beauty – who’s complaining? Mellow closer “Grown Nothing” feels like Malkmus easing back towards the sound of his recent album with the Jicks, Sparkle Hard. In fact, although it has been released after Sparkle, 70% of Groove Denied was completed before work on the Jicks record. Indeed, Malkmus’s explorations with sound-processing influenced that album, most notably with the unexpected appearance of Auto-Tune on a couple of tracks.
Groove Denied will shake up settled notions of what Malkmus is about and what he’s capable of, repositioning him in the scheme of things. But looking at it from a different angle, his engagement with state-of-art digital tech actually makes perfect sense. After all, Nineties lo-fi – the sound in which he and Pavement were initially vaunted as leaders and pioneers – was nothing if not insistently sonic – it was all about the grain of guitar textures, about gratuitously over-done treatments and ear-grabbing effects. Noise for noise’s sake. It’s just that it was looking to older modes and antiquated technology. From the Big Muff and the Cry Baby Wah pedal through to today’s deliberately distorted deployment of pitch-correction, there’s really an unbroken continuity: the creative misuse of technology, the aestheticization of mistakes and flaws, wrongness-as-rightness.
As Stephen tweeted recently on the subject of Auto-Tune’s omnipresence in contemporary music-making: “We long 4 transformation….and we humans fucking luv tools.”
Simon Reynolds, Jan 2019
(Tour Dates, New Shows sans Jicks In Bold, On Sale Friday Jan 25, 10am Local Time)
Steve Gunn’s new album The Unseen In Between is available worldwide today. Stream the album, order the LP/CD via the Matador Webstore or find it at your local independent record store via the link HERE.
Gunn begins his extensive full-band tour in the Northeast beginning on January 30th, continuing through North America and Europe into May 2019. Tickets for all dates are on sale now.
Steve Gunn On Tour
Wednesday, January 30 The State House, New Haven CT ^
Thursday, January 31 Great Scott, Boston MA ^
Friday, February 1 Bowery Ballroom, New York NY ^
Saturday, February 2 Union Transfer, Philadelphia PA ^
Thursday, February 7 The Hangout, Long Beach, CA (Steve solo)
Friday, February 8 The Casbah, San Diego CA ^
Saturday, February 9 Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles CA ^
Sunday, February 10 Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz CA $
Tuesday, February 12 Aladdin Theater, Portland OR $
Wednesday, February 13 Tractor Tavern, Seattle WA $
Friday, February 15 Hopmonk Tavern, Novato CA #
Saturday, February 16 The Chapel, San Francisco CA #
Tuesday, March 12 Bitterzoet, Amsterdam NL
Wednesday, March 13 Paard, Den Haag NL
Thursday, March 14 Vera, Groningen NL
Friday, March 15 Nochtspeicher, Hamberg DE
Saturday, March 16 Radar, Aarhus DK
Monday, March 18 Folken, Stavanger NO
Wednesday, March 20 Revolver, Oslo NO
Thursday, March 21 Pustervik, Gothenburg SE
Friday, March 22 Loppen, Copenhagen DK
Saturday, March 23 Frannz Club, Berlin DE
Sunday, March 24 Archa Theatre, Prague CZ
Monday, March 25 UT Connewitz, Leipzig DE
Tuesday, March 26 Manufaktur, Schorndorf DE
Wednesday, March 27 Arena, Vienna AT
Saturday, March 30 Südpol, Luzern CH
Sunday, March 31 Rotefabrik, Zurich CH
Monday, April 1 Sonic, Lyon FR
Tuesday, April 2 Le Petit Bain, Paris FR
Wednesday, April 3 De Kreun, Kortrijk BE
Friday, April 5 Oslo, London UK
Saturday, April 6 Hare & Hounds, Birmingham UK
Sunday, April 7 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds UK
Monday, April 8 Deaf Institute, Manchester UK
Thursday, April 18 Cactus Club, Milwaukee WI*
Friday, April 19 Lincoln Hall, Chicago IL *
Saturday, April 20 Storehouse, Galien MI
Sunday, April 21 Off Broadway, St Louis MO*
Monday, April 22 89th Street, Oklahoma City OK*
Tuesday, April 23 Double Wide, Dallas TX *
Wednesday, April 24 Barracuda, Austin TX*
Friday, April 26 Saturn, Birmingham AL*
Saturday, April 27 40 Watt, Athens GA*
Sunday, April 28 The Earl, Atlanta GA*
Monday, April 29 The Basement, Nashville TN*
Tuesday, April 30 The Mothlight, Asheville NC*
Wednesday, May 1 Cat’s Cradle, Carborro, NC*
Thursday, May 2 Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte,NC*
Friday, May 3 Richmond Music Hall, Richmond,VA*
Saturday, May 4 Songbyrd, Washington DC*
^ w/ Meg Baird & Mary Lattimore
$ w/ Meg Baird
# w/ Sachiko Kanenobu
* w/ Gun Outfit
What would possess a respected independent label entering an (ill-fated) joint-venture with a major record company to make one of their inaugural releases a record as uncompromisingly unpleasant and visceral as Unsane’s 1994, ‘Total Destruction’ — once again, re-pressed by Matador and now on sale to mark the album’s 25th anniversary? Well, for starters, we were a bunch of arrogant motherfuckers who thought we knew better (MAN, DID THE YEARS BEAT THAT OUT OF US). Also, maybe you had to be there (and I was there — over and over and over again and I have the hearing/brain damage to prove it) but Chris Spencer, Pete Shore and Vincent Signorelli were a devastating force. That we did a somewhat crap job of convincing more than a few people of this is something we’d love to lay at the feet of Atlantic Records…so there you go. It’s everyone’s dream to do what they love and here we are still doing it.
(“Body Bomb” video, directed by Richard Kern)
Fast forward a quarter century later and Unsane are still making sick records, touring the globe (now with Dave Curran in Pete’s spot) and setting an impossibly high bar for a new generation of bands. And Matador’s still working O.T. hoping you won’t be overcome with noxious nostalgia fumes, but not before you jump on a totally destructive a 25% off sale.
Steve Gunn today shares a third song off of ‘The Unseen In Between’ (out January 18), the gorgeous “Vagabond” and its accompanying official video. Named after Gunn’s favorite Agnes Varda film, “Vagabond” could almost be the soundtrack to a Denis Johnson short story or Sam Shepard play, with its rich cast of characters whose lives have gone astray — like Mona who “camped out in a graveyard” and Jean-Pierre who “came from the road, his artwork remains unsold.” Accompanied by gorgeous harmonies from Meg Baird, the song is a meditation on our restless times, an ode to the runaways, drifters, and vagabonds trying to make ends meet.
Jason Evans directed the accompanying official video, which includes graphics by Stephen Powers. It’s a stylish black & white performance film with a timeless feel, taking its visual cues from Richard Avedon and David Bailey. The intimacy lends itself well to Gunn’s impeccable guitar work, with close-ups of his fingers casting spells on the frets
Gunn has also announced a lengthy run of new headline full-band tour dates for the spring, which will commence upon his return from playing East Coast, West Coast, and European shows on April 18th in Milwaukee. The full list of tour dates can be found below.
(photo by Clay Benskin)
Steve Gunn on tour (new dates in bold)
Thursday, January 31 Great Scott, Boston MA ^
Friday, February 1 Bowery Ballroom, New York NY ^
Saturday, February 2 Union Transfer, Philadelphia PA ^
Thursday, February 7 – The Hangout, Long Beach, CA (Steve solo)
Friday, February 8 The Casbah, San Diego CA ^
Saturday, February 9 Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles CA ^
Sunday, February 10 Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz CA $
Tuesday, February 12 Aladdin Theater, Portland OR $
Wednesday, February 13 Tractor Tavern, Seattle WA $
Saturday, February 16 The Chapel, San Francisco CA #
Tuesday, March 12 Bitterzoet, Amsterdam NL
Wednesday, March 13 Paard, Den Haag NL
Thursday, March 14 Vera, Groningen NL
Friday, March 15 Nochtspeicher, Hamberg DE
Saturday, March 16 Radar, Aarhus DK
Monday, March 18 Folken, Stavanger NO
Wednesday, March 20 Revolver, Oslo NO
Thursday, March 21 Pustervik, Gothenburg SE
Friday, March 22 Loppen, Copenhagen DK
Saturday, March 23 Frannz Club, Berlin DE
Sunday, March 24 Archa Theatre, Prague CZ
Monday, March 25 UT Connewitz, Leipzig DE
Tuesday, March 26 Manufaktur, Schorndorf DE
Wednesday, March 27 Arena, Vienna AT
Saturday, March 30 Südpol, Luzern CH
Sunday, March 31 Rotefabrik, Zurich CH
Monday, April 1 Sonic, Lyon FR
Tuesday, April 2 Le Petit Bain, Paris FR
Wednesday, April 3 De Kreun, Kortrijk BE
Friday, April 5 Oslo, London UK
Saturday, April 6 Hare & Hounds, Birmingham UK
Sunday, April 7 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds UK
Monday, April 8 Deaf Institute, Manchester UK Thursday, April 18 – Cactus Club, Milwaukee,WI* Friday, April 19 – Lincoln Hall, Chicago,IL * Saturday, April 20 – Storehouse, Galien, MI Sunday, April 21 – Off Broadway, St Louis,MO* Monday, April 22 – 89th Street, Oklahoma City,OK* Tuesday, April 23 – Double Wide, Dallas TX * Wednesday, April 24 – Barracuda, Austin TX* Friday, April 26 – Saturn, Birmingham,AL* Saturday, April 27 – 40 Watt, Athens, GA* Sunday, April 28 – The Earl, Atlanta,GA* Monday, April 29 – The Basement, Nashville TN* Tuesday, April 30 – The Mothlight, Asheville, NC* Wednesday, May 1 – Cat’s Cradle, Carborro, NC* Thursday, May 2 – Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte,NC* Friday, May 3 – Richmond Music Hall, Richmond,VA* Saturday, May 4 – Songbyrd, Washington DC*
^ w/ Meg Baird & Mary Lattimore
$ w/ Meg Baird
# w/ Sachiko Kanenobu
* w/ Gun Outfit
Today marks the 25th anniversary of Yo La Tengo’s “From A Motel 6” being released as a single thru the confusing maelstrom of the major label distribution system. It’s also Ira Kaplan’s birthday, and to celebrate both of these historic events we’re offering 25% off ‘Extra Painful’ and ‘There’s A Riot Going On’. Stream “From A Motel 6” and find your territory’s Matador Webstore
(Matador’s 2018 Person Of The Year Jered Thretin wants you to know that by reading these lists, you’re part of the illusion)
Around this time every year, your long-suffering editor attempts to coax a list of favorite recordings, books, television programs, life events, etc. out of the label’s artist roster and our show business friends. In the past, the exercise has been an exacting process, fraught with nagging, teeth-gnashing and no shortage of reluctant participants, some of whom actually changed labels or places of employment or their identities/physical appearances to avoid the chore. Even worse, we sometimes overlook persons currently recording for or working for the record label (either that or they’ve saving their lists for a website people actually read).
For some historical perspective, here’s last year’s selections. Questions or comments about our crap taste and/or inexplicable omissions are welcome (but NOT THAT WELCOME) . And without further ado, let the coronation of Mitski commence – GC)
Britt Daniel, Spoon
Top 18 NYC Shows, 2018
The Byrds + Marty Stuart – Town Hall, Sept 24
Gerald Clayton – Village Vanguard, Aug 1
Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas – Connollys, Jan 26
Heart Bones – Brooklyn Bazaar, Nov 30
Thee Oh Sees – Warsaw, Oct 19
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn, June 20
Nine Inch Nails – Radio City, Oct 13
Hamilton Leithauser – Cafe Carlyle, Jan 25
!!! – Industry City, Sept 22
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Bowery Ballroom, Sept 15
Alejandro Escovedo – Knitting Factory, Sept 9
Paul Simon – MSG, Sept 21
Bodega – Elsewhere, Aug 23
Morris Day + The Time – Sony Hall, Aug 11
Nick Cave – Barclays, Oct 26
Jon Batiste – Village Vanguard, Nov 3
JD McPherson – Brooklyn Bowl, Dec 4
Elton John – MSG, Nov 8
top 12 NYC margaritas, 2018:
El Camion, Ave A
Chilos, Franklin Ave Brooklyn
Castros, Myrtle Ave Brooklyn
La Esquina, Kenmare
Chela, 5th Ave Brooklyn
Don Chignon, Flatbush Ave Brooklyn
Tacombi, Lafayette Ave Brooklyn
Agave, 7th Ave
Vida Verde, 55th St
Cafe Habana, Prince St
La Contenta Oeste, 11th St
Sweet & Vicious, Spring St
Alex Fishel, Spoon
best shows:
guerilla toss – zebulon
roger waters – laxness arena
ethan gruska – bootleg theater
fell runner – zebulon
david byrne – shrine auditorium
sparks – palace theatre
moaning – best kept secret
olivia kaplan – zebulon
best recordings:
blake mills – look
adrianne lenker – abysskiss
alessandro cortini / lawrence english – immediate horizon
wand – perfume
julian cubillos – in heaven
lala lala – the lamb
dur-dur band – dur dur of somalia vol 1, vol 2
underworld / iggy pop – teatime dub encounters
Steve Gunn
2018
Daniel Carter, Hamid Drake, William Parker set at Troost
Marc Morgan last solo show in NYC for a while at Union Pool
Joshua Abrahms Natural Information Society at the Hideout, Chicago
Drinking wine with Roy Montgomery in ChristChurch
Jessica Pratt
Richard Thompson
Coolio coming to my show in LA and saying what’s up after my set.
Yo La Tengo
Loren Connors & Alan Licht Duo
Mathew Shipp
Tom Carter /Pat Murano Duo at Luncheonette
Heron Oblivion
Bob Dylan doing a 15 minute band melt version of Blowing in The Wind at the Met in Philadelphia. I rushed the stage
Ka Baird
Body Head
Sun Ra Arkestra
Flying in two seater biplane with no windows around New Zealand with a fan who offered to take me on a flight the morning after my show.
Jennifer Castle
World of Echo record store London
Watching Dave Burrell play piano while sitting directly above him from the balcony
Andrew Katz, Car Seat Headrest
1 Trait Danger, 1 Trait High
Ryan Mahan, Algiers
Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy
Gazelle – Twin Pastoral
Bambara – Shadow on Everything
Harrga – La Mer
Wetware – Automatic Drawing
Albedo Fantastica – Culvert and Starry Night
Hiro Kone – Pure Expenditure
Uniform – The Long Walk
Daughters – You Won’t Get What You Want
Krimewatch Krimewatch
Bill Nace, Body/Head
Madison Palffy, SCDT, Northampton MA
Mountain Movers, Ortlieb’s ,Philadelphia PA
Bill Orcutt, Johnny Brenda’s ,Philadlephia PA
Gunn/Truscinski Duo, Great Scott, Boston MA
Simone Forti /Charlamagne Palestine, LA CA
RP BOO, Philamoca, Phiadlephia PA
Wheatie Mattiasich, Caroline’s Place, Baltimore MD
Jana Rush, Cropped Out Fest, Louisville KY
Pengo, The Liquor Store, Rochester NY
Angst Hase Pfeffer Nase, The Lab SF
Mike Hadreas, Perfume Genius
Albums:
Amen Dunes – Freedom
Tierra Whack – Whack World
Julia Holter – Aviary
Books:
“Elmet” by Fiona Mozley
“Spinning Silver” by Naomi Novik
“Eileen” by Ottessa Moshfegh
Movies:
Suspiria
Annihilation
Roma
Hereditary
TV:
Succession
The Terror
The Americans
Most of My Listening Went To:
Anita Baker – Rapture
The Sundays – Reading, Writing & Arithmetic
Low – Secret Name
Sade
Elias Rønnenfelt, Iceage
Arvo Pärt – Tabula Rasa
BIlly Boyo – Zim Zim
Black Lips – Satan’s Graffiti or Gods Art?
Bob Dylan – Time Out Of Mind
Camaron De La Isla – Potro De Rabia Y Miel
Dean Blunt – Soul On Fire
Eilert Pilarm – Eilert Forever
Eugene McDaniels – Outlaw
Gloria Ann Taylor – Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing
Hank Wood & The Hammerheads – S/T
Insecure Men – Insecure Men
Levon Helm – Dirt Farmer
Lucinda Williams – Happy Woman Blues
Milk Music – Mystic 100’s
Obongjayar – Bassey
Puce Mary – The Drought
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – Young Brigham
Roscoe Holcomb – An Untamed Sense Of Control
Sly & The Family Stone – There’s A Riot Goin’ On
Total Control – Laughing At The System
U.S Girls – In A Poem Unlimited
Viagra Boys – Street Worms
Lee Tesche, Algiers
Top 5 staff 2018, in order
1. Gerard
2. Lombardi
3. Patrick
4. Josh
5. Shira
Honorable Mention: Natalie
TELLY:
The Handmaid’s Tale, Season 2: The travails of Offred beyond the original novel had no reason to be this compelling, yet they were.
Atlanta, Season 2: Ageing out in the music industry so beautifully portrayed here.
My Beautiful Friend: obvs.
FILM:
Nico, 1988
FOOTBALL:
AFC Bournemouth 2 – 2 Newcastle Utd, Dean Court, 24th February: The plucky Cherries scored twice in the last 10 minutes to tie things up and leave Ryan Mahan with a whole lot of egg on his face.
BEST CELEBRITY BEEF:
Lana Del Rey vs Azalea Banks
BEST VIEW:
Castelmola, Sicily
MOST PENIS PARAPHERNALIA GATHERED IN ONE PLACE:
Caffe Bar Turrisi, Castelmola, Sicily
(honourable mention to the Air BnB in Chinatown NYC for the suitcase full of dildos hidden beneath the couch)
BEST RAVE:
Mouth Your Body, Show Nightclub, NYC, April 27-28
WORST AFTERS:
Bushwick A/V, NYC, April 28
BEST FANCY MEAL:
Kachka, Portland OR
BEST BAR FOOD:
Cheesesteak @ Old Pink, Buffalo NY
BEST GOTH CLUB:
Rebound, Athens, Greece
MOST PUNCHABLE BORDER CONTROL GUARDS:
Greece, Croatia
Kurt Vile
Nepotismic Reticulum: 10 faves 2018
“Solid Silk” – Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
“Need A Little Time” – Courtney Barnett
“Blue From the Dark” – DRINKS
“Sleeping Volcanoes” – Cass McCombs
“Summer’s End” – John Prine
“Elk River Blues” – Nathan Bowles
“Thanksgiving Song” – Grouper
“Shortwave” – Yo La Tengo
“This Time Around” – Jessica Pratt
“New Moon” – Steve Gunn
Patrick Amory, Matador Records
1. Ned Collette – Old Chestnut (it records/Feeding Tube)
2. The Goon Sax – We’re Not Talking (Chapter Music/Wichita)
3. Charlie Tweddle – The Unseen Sound of Music(Mighty Mouth)
4.Jon Hopkins – Singularity (Domino)
5. Spiritualized – “Let’s Dance” from And Nothing Hurt (Bella Union/Fat Possum)
6. Kali Malone – Organ Dirges 2016-2017 (Ascetic House)
7. The continuing incredible restoration work being done by RS3D
8. Music of Northern Laos (Akuphone)
9. Kikagaku Moyo – Masana Temples (Guruguru Brain)
10.Against All Logic – 2012-2017 (Other People)
11. DJ Lilocox – Paz & Amor (Principe)
12. Fucked Up – Dose Your Dreams (Merge)
13. Mr. Fingers – Cerebral Hemispheres (Alleviated)
14. serpentwithfeet – Soil (Tri-Angle/Secretly Canadian)
15. Theo Parrish – Preacher’s Comin/Gullah Geechee (Sound Signature)
16. Tropical Fuck Storm – A Laughing Death in Meatspace (Joyful Noise)
Chris Bithell, Beggars
Favourite Trax of 2018 (not all released this year)
ALBUMS THEE OH SEES – Smote Reverser
FLAVIEN BERGER – Contre-Temps
SABA – Care For Me
BEAK> – >>>
OUGHT – Room Inside The World
YVES TUMOR – Safe In The Hands of Love
AMEN DUNES – Freedom
BODEGA – Endless Scroll
LOW – Double Negative
MOVIES THE GUILTY by Gustav Möller
WOMAN AT WAR by Benedikt Erlingsson
THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT by Lars Von Trier
GIRL by Lukas Dhont
CONCERTS DAVID BYRNE at The Paris Philharmonie
RYLEY WALKER at Point Ephémère
KAMAAL WILLIAMS at New Morning
ARCADE FIRE at Bercy
JON HOPKINS at Trianon
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Cycling through the Apuseni natural park in Transylvania
Nick Boyd, b4 Sounds / Beggars Group
Dance:
Unknown To The Unknown’s demolition of 2018:
⁃ X-Coast – XTC EP [Hot Haus Recs / UTTU]
⁃ Kornél Kovács – Metropolis EP [UTTU]
⁃ Vin Sol – Dance Trax Vol. 14 [Dance Trax / UTTU]
⁃ SE62 – Good Days EP [Hot Haus Recs / UTTU]
⁃ Lauren Flax – Dance Trax, Vol. 16 [Dance Trax / UTTU]
⁃ Addison Groove & Bim Sanga Present: Bags Inc. – Dance Trax Vol. 17 [Dance Trax / UTTU]
⁃ Contactless – Static EP [UTTU]
⁃ Bell Towers – My Body is a Temple [UTTU]
⁃ DJ Steaw – Heaven EP [Hot Haus Recs / UTTU]
Róisín Murphy and Maurice Fulton’s legend making 2018 four killer twelve inch run on Vinyl Factory. Beautiful design by Bráulio Amado as well:
⁃ Plaything / Like
⁃ The Rumble / World’s Crazy
⁃ Jacuzzi Rollercoaster / Can’t Hang On (feat. Ali Love)
⁃ All My Dreams / Innocence
Krystal Klear’s blockbuster twelve inches:
⁃ Club Studies [Hot Haus Recs / UTTU]
⁃ The Division [Running Back]
The fantastic debut year of Murlo’s Coil Records:
⁃ Sharda – Sharda EP // Huge release, big time favorite
⁃ Murlo & Conducta – “Together”
⁃ Shara – “One Kiss Refix”
⁃ Murlo & S-Type – “Make Believe”
⁃ Sharda & Bassboy – “Drifting”
Luca Lozano – Boss Moves [Running Back]
Eris Drew / Octo Octa – Devotion [Naive]
Malik Hendricks – Introducing Malik Hendricks EP [Bumpin’ Somethin’]
Off The Meds – The Meds Are Kicking In esp. “No B No E”
Niles Cooper – House Gospel EP [Super Tuff]
Dirty Channels vs. Danny Russell / Frazelle – Watchin Out [Athens of The North]
Minimal Violence – MVX / U41A [Technicolour]
AceMo – AceMo EP [Vanity Press] esp. “Get It From The Sound”
VA – Gemišt Part I [House Is OK] esp. Kornél Kovács’ massive “House Is OK”
Shan – Run Tings EP [Running Back]
Sully / FaltyDL – 2 Bad Mice Remixes [Sneaker Social Club]
Asquith – The Conditioning Track [Asquith]
Strategy – Future Shock [The Nite Owl Diner]
Abby Echiverri – Ab Initio [The Bunker New York]
Pangaea – Bone Sucka [Hessle Audio]
Giant Swan – Whities 016 [Whities]
Finn – Dance Music Has Betrayed Us All [Local Action]
Girls of the Internet – Remember My Name [Drab Queen]
Conny – Song For Eva [Cold Tonic]
Local Artist – Dancer / Dreamer [Mood Hut]
Missing Channel – FJAAK 002 // “Onslaught (FJAAK Remix)” is massive
aamourocean – Enjoy The Silence [Casual Gabberz]
Jayda G – Sacred Spaces [JMG Recordings]
Jayda G / Alexa Dash – Diva Bitch [Freakout Cult]
Syclops – Pink Rose [Running Back]
Peggy Gou – Once [Ninja Tune]
DJ Sprinkles / Hardrock Striker – Skylax House Explosion (Under The Loft) / Skylax House Explosion (Under The Ballroom) / Skylax House Explosion (Under The Garage) [Skylax]
Tony G – Onto/Off One [Sorry Records]
Tony G – ACID TONY [Sorry Records]
Jachary – The Virus Continues… B-Sides and Remixes
Cranklin – City Slicker [Sorry Records]
Stick Figure – FIGUR01 / FIGUR02 [Sorry Records]
Lanlord Lance – Night Sweats Box Set [Sorry Records]
DJ Lag – Stampit EP [Goon Club Allstars]
Clapman – Clapman [Party Central] esp. “Clapman (Kane West Original Mix)”
Danvers – Interludes [WotNot] esp. “Aye Ata”
Another Alias – Creep On The Couch [White of My Eyes]
V/A – Fatherhood Presents Bad Advice, Vol. 1 [Nervous]
V/A – Jubilee Presents: Magic City Vol. 4 esp. Lauren Flax’s “Work Dat” and AceMo’s “Just Waiting 4 U, Tonight (Ann Marie)”
Soundbwoy Killah – “Oh Baby” [Warehouse Rave]
Darling – “Estimu” [Safe Trip]
Alfie Casanova – “Urchin” [CALM]
DJ Lag / DJ Vumar / Biggie – “Jika” [Ice Drop]
Yaeji – “One More”
MOONOVERSUN – “GIRLS/BOYS (Jennifer Walton Remix)”
DJ Boo Man – “Jess H Bmore Anthem”
DJ E-Clyps – “Pancakes” [Classic Music Company]
Basside – “QLCL (DRUMMy’s Endless Torment Megamix)” [Sorry Records]
Sharda / Shanique Marie – “Wanna Know” [Swing Ting]
Mixes
Eris Drew’s ‘Thundering Goddess Mix’ [Mixmag]
HER DAMIT Podcast #28 / Eris Drew (Motherbeat)
RA.604 Eris Drew [Resident Advisor]
DJ Haus Enters The Unknown Vol. 2 [UTTU]
DISCWOMAN 40 x Octo Octa (Polyglamorous Year 3)
Frendzone with Octo Octa & Eris Drew @ The Lot Radio 07/26/2018
Octo Octa | Boiler Room x Is Burning ADE
Geoffrey LaRue – Gay Interest (1962-1981)
Crack Mix 207 – Sharda
Wrecked @ CDA August 2018 (Main Room) 12 – 4
Hunee Boiler Room BUDx Seoul DJ Set
Gerd Janson Boiler Room x Sugar Mountain 2018 DJ Set
Parties/DJ Sets/Shows:
Love Injection Universal Love 001 – 004
Frendzone! // Eris Drew b2b Octo Octa – Good Room
Octo Octa All Night – Good Room
Eris Drew – Sustain-Release
SHYBOI – Sustain-Release
Minimal Violence – Sustain-Release
Legowelt – Sustain-Release
Honey Dijon – Mister Sunday – Nowadays
Noncompliant – Technofeminism – Bossa Nova Civic Club
Soul Summit – Fort Greene Park
Octo Octa – All Nighter – Nowadays
SOPHIE – Elsewhere
Danny L Harle – HARLECOR3 – Sunnyvale
The Lot Radio 2 Year Anniversary
Wrecked (Ron Like Hell/Ryan Smith) w/ Jeffrey Sfire
Wrecked w/ Matrixxman
Emma Buchanan, Matador Records
The Goon Sax – We’re Not Talking
Ned Collette – Old Chestnut
Roy Montgomery – Suffuse
Marie Davidson – Working Class Woman
Guttersnipe – My Mother the Vent
Miranda Winters – Xobeci, What Grows Here?
Julia Holter – Aviary
Girl Pusher – 911
Demdike Stare – Passion
Mitski – Be the Cowboy
U.S. Girls – In a Poem Unlimited
ANMLPLNET – Fall Asleep
SOPHIE – OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES
Low – Double Negative
Caroline Says – No Fool Like an Old Fool
Not For You – Drown
Wye Oak – The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs
Parquet Courts – Wide Awake
Martin Collins, Beggars Group
10. Melody’s Echo Chamber – ‘Breathe In, Breathe Out’
It took six years, a cancelled tour, and an unspecified “serious accident”, but we finally got another album from Melody Prochet.
9. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – ‘Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays’
For the longest time I was convinced this was a Steely Dan track.
8. Anderson .Paak – ‘Tints (feat. Kendrick Lamar)’
Because even as a feature to Anderson .Paak, Kendrick Lamar had to sneak his way into another end-of-year list.
7. HMLTD – ‘Proxy Love’ Honestly, I have no idea. This one sounds like schlager.
6. The Babe Rainbow – ‘Eureka’
Who is Greggo? Where did he go?
5. Parcels – ‘Lightenup’
I imagine this is what happens if you listen to Daft Punk’s ‘Random Access Memories’ on loop until you pass out.
3. Tempesst – ‘A Little Bit of Trouble’
I really do wonder what possessed Tempesst to move from Australia to the cold of London, but I’m glad they did.
2. Post Animal – ‘Ralphie’
Remember Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) from Stranger Things? Well, he’s in a band and they’re pretty great.
1. Goat – ‘Let It Burn’
“The Gävle Goat is a Christmas display erected annually in Gävle, Sweden. It is a giant goat figure made of straw. It has become famous for being destroyed in arson attacks, and despite security measures, the goat has been burned to the ground thirty-seven times since its first appearance in 1966.” The song is good too.
Gerard Cosloy, Matador Records
Yuzo Iwata – Daylight Moon (Siltbreeze)
Rosali - Trouble Anyway (Scissor Tail / Spinster Sounds)
Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt – Brace Up! (Palilalia Records)
David Nance Group – Peaced & Slightly Pulverized (Trouble In Mind)
Lena Hessels – Billow (Terp)
Deaf Wish – Lithium Zion (Sub Pop)
Uniform – The Long Walk (Sacred Bones)
Marlowe – s/t (Mello Music Group)
Armand Hammer – Paraffin (Backwoodz Studio)
Tropical Fuck Storm – A Laughing Death In Meat Space (Joyful Noise)
Heather Leigh – Throne (Editions Mego)
Counter Intuits – “Vietnamese Lighter” (Total Punk)
Obnox – Bang Messiah (Smog Veil)
Träden, s/t (Subliminal Sounds/Gåshud)
Rattle – Sequence (Upset The Rhythm)
The Goon Sax – We’re Not Talking (Wichita)
Thalia Zedek – Fighting Season (Thrill Jockey)
Salad Boys – This Is Glue (Trouble In Mind)
Civic – New Vietnam (Anti-Fade)
Jon Spencer – Spencer Sings The Hits (In The Red)
Various Artists – Wound (Carbon)
ISS – s/t EP (Sorry State)
Midnight Mines – Invisible Insurrection Of A Million Minds (Loki)
Charalambides: Tom And Christina Carter (Drawing Room)
Wingtip Sloat – Purge and Swell/Lost Decade (VHF)
Fuck – The Band (Vampire Blues)
Lewsberg – s/t LP
The Kids / The Real Kids – 1974 Demos / 1977/78 Demos/Live (Crypt)
Wet Tuna – Livin The Die (Feeding Tube)
Bad Sports – Constant Stimulation (Dirtnap)
Mazoma – Stark Joy (Feeding Tube)
Meg Baird & Mary Lattimore – Ghost Forests (Three Lobed)
F.U.K – “Roadkill” b/w “I Got A Head” 7″ (Hozac)
Heavy Metal EP – (Total Punk)
Wax Chattels – s/t (Captured Tracks)
Kuzu – Hiljaisuus (Astral Spirits)
Eyelids – Maybe More (Jealous Butcher)
live
Mdou Moctar, PhillyMOCA
Deaf Wish, Slim’s /Hopscotch Fest Raleigh NC, Murphy’s/Goner Fest, Memphis, Barracuda Austin
Vampire Belt, Union Pool, Brooklyn
The Scientists, Beerland, Austin
Wire, Ballroom Marfa, Marfa Myths
This Is Not This Heat, Union Park, Chicago
ExEk, Hotel Vegas, Austin
Matthew Lux’s Communications Arts Quartet, Barracuda, Austin
Xylouris White, Beerland, Austin
S.H.I.T., Mohawk, Austin
Loren Connors, Wonders Of Nature, Brooklyn
too many times / most times : Chronophage, Temple Of Angels
“Milford Graves Full Mantis” (dir – Jake Meginsky)
Marissa Esposito, Beggars Group
Albums: Shame – Songs of Praise Mitski- Be The Cowboy The Goon Sax- We’re Not Talking Earl Sweatshirt- Some Rap Songs Let’s Eat Grandma- I’m All Ears Parquet Courts- Wide Awake! Ty Segall and White Fence – Joy Vince Staples- FM! Flasher- Constant Image
Swearin’- Fall into the Sun Noname- Room 25 John Maus- Addendum Snail Mail- Lush Saba- CARE FOR ME Iceage- Beyondless
IDLES- Joy as an Act of Resistance.
Songs: (no particular order or from albums listed above) Sorry- Starstruck
Ovlov- Spright
Lala Lala- Destroyer
Goat Girl- The Man
Unknown Mortal Orchestra- Hunnybee
Courtney Barnett- Need A Little Time
Frank Ocean- Moon River
BODEGA- Name Escape
Yellow Days- What’s It All For?
Porches- Find Me
Joey Purp- Elastic
boygenius- Me & My Dog
Sneaks- Money Don’t Grow on Trees
Live Shows: Homeshake @ Market Hotel
SXSW in Austin, TX
Ty Segall @ Brooklyn Steel
Mount Kimbie @ Brooklyn Steel
King Krule @ Hammerstein Ballroom
Parquet Courts @ Elsewhere
Radiohead @ MSG
BROCKHAMPTON @ Terminal 5
Iceage @ Secret Project Robot
Shame @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Mitski @ Brooklyn Steel
Rian Fossett, Matador Records
Amen Dunes — Freedom
Tirzah — Devotion
Adriane Lenker — abysskiss
Earl Sweatshirt — Some Rap Songs
Mark Renner — Few Traces
Olden Yolk — s/t
Damien Durado — The Horizon Just Laughed
Sunshine EP — s/t
Against All Logic — s/t
Jenny Hval EP — The Long Sleep
A$AP Rocky — Testing
Yves Tumor — Safe In The Hands of Love
highlights/loves from 2018: seeing Kurt Vile open for Neil Young in Quebec City, launch of @rasmixtapes, every second spent at deer mountain inn, Interpol press conference in Mexico City, Marfa Myths, my brilliant friend (show + books), tropical fuck storm video for “you let my tyres down,” (above) Taylor from Billions, The Sadies and Kurt playing “Albuquerque” on the lawn of a haunted house in the Catskills, the favourite & mission impossible fallout, a mixtape with a blue watercolor given to me recently, new chris cohen song “edit out”
Matt Harmon, Beggars Group
Albums
Amen Dunes – Freedom (Sacred Bones)
Sunwatchers – II (Trouble in Mind)
Gabriella Cohen – Pink is the Color of Unconditional Love(Dot Dash/Captured Tracks)
Barker Trio – Avert Your I (Astral Spirits)
The Goon Sax – We’re Not Talking (Chapter Music / Wichita Recordings)
David Nance Group – Peaced and Slightly Pulverized (Trouble in Mind)
Mono Pause / Metabolismus – Don’t Low Up to the Amped Buenaes (Feeding Tube Records)
Penelope Trappes – Penelope 2 (Houndstooth)
Escape-ism – Hi. I’m THE LOST RECORD (Merge)
Tropical Fuck Storm – A Laughing Death in Meatspace (TFS /Joyful Noise Recordings)
JEFF the Brotherhood – Magick Songs (Dine Alone)
Beak – >>> (Invada Records)
Catherine Christer Hennix – Selected Early works (Blank Forms Editions)
No Age – Snares Like a Hair Cut (Drag City)
Exploded View – Obey (Sacred Bones)
Haruomi Hosano – ParaIiso + Philharmony LP re-issues (Light in The Attic)
Songs
Amen Dunes “L.A.”
Tropical Fuck Storm “You Let My Tyres Down”
Ryley Walker “Telluride Speed”
Deafwish “FFS”
Gruff Rhys “Frontier Man”
Anderson Paak – “Bubblin”
Sons of Kemet “My Queen is Harriet Tubman”
Chris Cohen “Edit Out”
Other Stuff
Saladish cook book by Ilene Rosen
Hilda af Klint – Paintings for the Future (Guggenheim Museum)
Friends with record stores – Record Grouch (Brooklyn), Vinyl Remains (Pittsburgh), World of Echo Music (London), Lost Padre (Santa Fe)
Fly fishing in New Mexico & Colorado
Shira Knishkowy, Matador Records
These Are 30 Albums In Alphabetical Order That I Greatly Enjoyed in 2018 Not Including Matador Titles:
Amen Dunes – Freedom Anna St Louis – If Only There Was A River
Ariel Pink – Dedicated To Bobby Jameson Blake Mills – Looks
David Nance Group – Peace And Slightly Pulverized Dean Wareham & Cheval Sombre – Dean Wareham vs. Cheval Sombre DJ Koze – Knock Knock
Hollie Cook – Vessel Of Love Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo Low – Double Negative
Marie Davidson – Working Class Woman
Marisa Anderson – Cloud Corner
Mind Over Mirrors – Bellowing Sun
Nap Eyes – I’m Bad Now Neko Case – Hell On <— favorite if I had to pick Ohmme – Parts Olden Yolk – Olden Yolk Pusha T – Daytona Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Hope Downs Ruston Kelly – Dying Star
Sandro Perri – In Another Life
Spiritualized – And Nothing Hurt
The Beths – Future Me Hates Me
The Messthetics – The Messthetics Thousand Foot Whale Claw – Black Hole Party Tirzah – Devotion Vive La Void – Vive La Void Westerman – Ark Wooden Shjips – V
This Was My Favorite Book This Year:
My Year Of Rest And Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh
This Was My Favorite Netflix Original Movie This Year:
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
TV Was Really Good This Year Especially:
Atlanta
Better Things
Killing Eve
Marvelous Mrs Maisel
My Brilliant Friend
The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Younger
Noam Klar, Matador Records
Amen Dunes – Believe
Baby Jayy – Out The Rain
Boothroyd – Pure Country
Chrystal – 2 Real
DJ Healer – The Interview
DJ Oblong – Speed Your Rage To Me
Drake – Nice For What
Ella Mai – Boo’d Up
The Garden – 🙁
Gucci Mane feat. Migos – I Got The Bag
Ikonika – Assisted Retweet
The Internet – Come Over
John T Gast – Club Version
Kadhja Bonet – Delphine
Kanye West – Ghost Town
Kids See Ghosts – Reborn
Mary Lattimore – It Feels Like Floating
Playboi Carti feat. Lil Uzi Vert – Shoota
Raar – Le Sacrifice Moral
Skee Mask – Vli
Andy Larsen, Matador Direct
Sarah Davachi – Let Night Come On Bells End The Day (Recital) / Gave In Rest (Ba Da Bing!) – Albums refreshingly produced by an atheist woman conjuring a non-secular sound with an evocation of architecture and place rather than of personal spirituality. Beautiful, non-deceptive odes to religious moments, spaces, and influences from a non-believer.
Demdike Stare – Passion (Modern Love)
Lavender Hex – Lavender Hex
Gas – Rausch (Kompakt)
Jlin – Autobiography (Music From Wayne McGregor’s Autobiography) (Planet Mu)
S.H.I.T. – What Do You Stand For? (Iron Lung Records)
Drew McDowall – The Third Helix (Dais Records)
Miss Red – K.O. (Pressure)
Vile Gash – Nightmare In A Troubled Brain (Youth Attack)
Tirzah – Devotion (Domino)
Helena Hauff – Qualm (Ninja Tune)
Etc:
La Misma – Negociacoes De Pas Continuae Como Fazemas Fabulas 7″ (Toxic State Records)
Clara! – Reggaetoneras 3 mixtape (Editions Gravats)
V/A Basement Beehive (Numero Group)
Mark Morgan – Department of Heraldry (Open Mouth) – I haven’t heard this yet. Consider this a placeholder
Films:
The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos)
Other Side of the Wind (Orson Welles)
Amazing Grace (Sydney Pollack)
The Opera House (Susan Froemke)
Suspiria (Luca Guadagnino)Valerie Lynch, Spin-Go!
Albums:
GOAT GIRL “Goat Girl”
VILLAGERS “The Art Of Pretending To Swim”
MOUNT EERIE “Now Only”
EVERYTHING IS RECORDED “Everything Is Recorded”
ICEAGE “ Beyondless”
MARIANNE FAITHFULL “Negative Capability”
Songs:
SALMO “90MIN”
DAUGHTER “All I Wanted – Live At Asylum Chapel”
THE KILLS “List Of Demands (Reparations)”
MOSES SUMNEY “Rank & File”
CHILDISH GAMBINO “This is America”
BEIRUT “Gallipoli”
IDLES “Colossus”
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE “Hunger”
BALTHAZAR “Fever”
JACK WHITE “Why Walk A Dog?”
THOM YORKE “Suspirium”
SHARON VAN ETTEN “Jupiter”
MARK RONSON feat. Miley Cyrus “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart”
Concerts:
Beyonce & Jay Z @San Siro
Laura Lyons, Beggars Group
albums:
ariana grande – sweetener
bad gyal – worldwide angel
teyana taylor – ktse
jorja smith – lost & found
hana vu – how many times have you driven by
miya folick – premonitions
mac miller – swimming
mitski – be the cowboy
asap rocky – testing
peggy gou – once
tirzah – devotion
deji okeze – so sorry
against all logic – 2012-2017
empress of – us
channel tres – s/t
octavian – spaceman
tierra whack – whack world
cardi b – invasion of privacy
natalie prass – the future & the past
Vinnie Martini, Matador Direct
BEST REPERTORY FILM SCREENINGS OF 2018
1) The Other Side Of The Wind (1976/2018, Orson Welles) – Film Society
of Lincoln Center and MoMA – 35mm
2) Eight Hours Don’t Make A Day (1972, Rainer Werner Fassbinder) –
MoMA and Film Forum – DCP
3) Lola Montes (1955, Max Ophuls) – Metrograph – 35mm
4) Laughing Anne (1953, Herbert Wilcox) – MoMA – DCP
5) Remember My Name (1978, Alan Rudolph) – Quad Cinema – 35mm
6) Taking Off (1971, Milos Forman) – Anthology Film Archives – 35mm
7) A Moment Of Innocence (1996, Mohsen Makhmalbaf) – Metrograph and MoMA – 35mm
8) Canyon Passage (1946, Jacques Tourneur) – Film Society of Lincoln
Center – 35mm
9) Come Back To The Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982, Robert
Altman) – Museum of the Moving Image – 35mm
10) Amazing Grace (1972/2018, Sydney Pollack) – Film Forum – DCP
MOST HONORABLE MENTION TO:
The Leopard (1963, Luchino Visconti) which I viewed theatrically 3
times in 2018.
Ryan Naideau, Rough Trade
sarah davachi – gave in rest
julee cruise – the voice of love
adrienne lenker – abysskiss
earl sweatshirt – some rap songs
amen dunes – freedom lisa o’neill – heard a long gone song
teyana taylor – ktse
mount eerie – now only
tozcos – sueños deceptivos
mike – renaissance man
idris ackamoor & the pyramids -an angel fell
twisted thing – lucky 7s demo
asap rocky – testing
mark renner – few traces
idiota civilizzato -st
nines – crop circle
innumerable forms – punishment in flesh
Øyvind Rones, Playground Music
10 AMAZING ALBUMS Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo
Jon Hopkins – Singularity
Snail Mail – Lush
The Go! Team – SEMICIRCLE
Emilie Nicolas – Tranquille Emile
Gang Gang Dance – Kazuashita
Fay Wildhagen – Borders
Blood Orange – Negro Swan
Kurt Vile – Bottle It In
Gundelach – Baltus
10 AMAZING GIGS
David Byrne @ Panorama, New York
Car Seat Headrest @ Roundhouse, London
The Smashing Pumpkins @ Madison Square Garden, New York
Albums/EPs/Songs Tirzah – Devotion
Amen Dunes – Freedom
Against All Logic – 2012 – 2017
Tierra Whack – Whack World
Virginia Wing – Ecstatic Arrow
Oneotrix Point Never – Love In The Time of Lexapro
Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy
Jenny Hval – Spells
Hollie Cook – Vessel of Love
Westerman – Confirmation, Ark EP
Low – Double Negative
Helena Deland – Claudion
Adrianne Lenker – abysskiss
Kali Uchis – Isolation
Mark Renner – Few Traces (Reissue)
Marie Davidson – Working Class Woman
Viagra Boys – Street Worms
MorMor – Heaven’s Only Wishful
Beach House – 7
Serpentwithfeet – Soil
Okay Kaya – Habitual Love
Julia Holter – Aviary
Empress Of – When I’m With Him
Ariana Grande – thank u, next
Nils Frahm – Spells
Amyl and the Sniffers – Cup Of Destiny
A$AP Rocky – Fukk Sleep (feat. FKA Twigs)
Mitski – Nobody
Channel Tres – Controller
Kurt Vile – Bottle It In
Parquet Courts – Wide Awake (album)
US Girls – In a Poem Unlimited
Smerz – Have Fun EP
Iceage – Beyondless
Liz Phair – Girly Sound to Guyville 25th Anniversary Release
Book – My Year of Rest and Relaxation
Film – The Favourite
Melanie Sheehan, Rough Trade
Top Karaoke Moments of 2018
Rosemont Bar, Brooklyn NY : Crystal Mesh presents a delightfully intimate karaoke-ki hosted by DJ Paradise. On this particular evening, a young lithe gentleman performed the classically coy 1986 hit “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off” by Jermaine Stewart. As the song progressed, said gentleman slowly started removing ALL of his layers (it was March brrRRrr) until he reached the end of the song, and the end of his wardrobe. He finished the number completely nude, holding the mic in one hand, and his bravery in the other.
The Cat’s Meow, New Orleans LA : There’s a tender balance when traveling, to avoid the obvious and embrace the peculiar. But proximity and a Why Not attitude can tip the scales sometimes and lead you to a Bourbon Street (GASP) karaoke bar. Twas the weekend before Halloween, my two favorite things coming together, a time when people can embarrass publically preen visually and audibly in a mélange of chaos. Sexy Jesus was my bartender, a skull masked man sang Thriller like a pro, the staff broke into a line dancing rendition of Footloose, and our favorite socially awkward slasher Michael Myers was spotted waving his machete in glee to the Friends Theme Song. A friend watched the video I took of him, and aptly noted “He’s such a RACHEL”.
The Karaoke Hole (K-Hole to all the clever darlings out there), London UK : I trekked out to this basement haunt by myself one night, because my quest to always find the next best spot is unyielding. When I walked in, a young unassuming man was singing Mariah Carey “Fantasy” and I knew I was in the right place. The scantily clad drag queen host Rhys’ Pieces brought the vibes and an insanely accurate version of Missy Elliott “Work It”, with backwards lyrics and matching choreo to boot.
Celtica Pub, Newport RI : On the heels of my first Newport Folk Festival came a splendiferous night of ‘Roke in a dark Irish bar with a KJ who was deaf in one ear. Walking up to the door of the place, I met my future ex-husband, Cowboy Doug, who had taken the cordless mic outside and was singing on the sidewalk, staring at the crowd through the window. Later on he wowed me with his rendition of Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis” , closing with “But do I really feel the way I feel? YEAH I DO, Im really feelin that shit tonight, Bro.” And yes, he did make that hat.
Emma Strickland, Beggars Group
Gouge Away – Burnt Sugar Vein – Errorzone Skee Mask – Compro Lil Peep – Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 2 Nothing – Dance on the Blacktop Dedekind Cut – Tahoe Deafheaven – Ordinary Corrupt Human Love Fog Lake – Captain Hovvdy – Cranberry Touche Amore – Green (Single) Grouper – Grid of Points Daniel Avery – Songs for Alpha Pianos Become The Teeth – Wait For Love 6lack – East Atlanta Love Letter Jacques Greene – Fever Focus Single Mothers – Through a Wall GAS – Rausch Harrison BDP – Confusion of Sound Shygirl – Cruel Practice Rich Brian – Amen
Jake Whitener, Matador Records
LP’s
Kikagaku Moyo- Masana Temples
Ned Collette- Old Chestnut
Parquet Courts- Wide Awake
The Goon Sax- We’re Not Talking
The Cowboy- The Cowboy Album
Aaberg- Albatross
Marlowe- Marlowe
Vera Ellen- Beat Yr Name
Haley Heynderickx- I Need To Start A Garden
Jon Hopkins- Singularity
Illuminati Hotties- Kiss Yr Frenemies
Mourn- Surpresa Familia
Viagra Boys- Street Worms
Marbled Eye- Leisure
JPEGMAFIA- Veteran
Value Void- Sentimental
Lawn- Blood on the Tracks
Daniel Brandt- Channels
Rays- You Can Get There From Here
Olden Yolk- Olden Yolk
Matt Dorrien- In the Key of Grey
EP’s
Duval Timothy- 2 Sim
Puma Blue- Blood Loss
Ultra Beauty- Ultra Beauty
Westerman- Ark
MIKE- Black Soap
Public Practice- Distance is a Mirror
Gasper Nali- Zoona Malawi
Draag- Nontoxic Process
Pinch Points- Mechanical Injury
SLUGS- Cool World
Compilations :
Laura Spiegel- The Expanding Universe
Technicolor Paradise: Rhum Rhapsodies & Other Exotic Delights
We Out Here: The Sound of London Jazz
Voyager Gold Record Box Set
